Videographic Criticism | Photography | Filmmaking | Choreography
Below is a selected portfolio of my creative work. Much of my aesthetic interests in visual design and filmmaking investigate existing film form to emphasize juxtapositions and create playful homages. My interests lie more in the domain of aesthetic experimentation and formal re-creations than they do in a focus on personal expression.
Videographic Criticism
The field of videographic criticism intrigues me as a medium for scholarly and artistic expression. I see particular promise in the blending of artistic practices to clarify the stylistic parallels and departures I observe between films of the same genre or to show the evolution of stylistic norms over time.
One particularly fruitful area of videographic analysis to me is the sub-field of videographic "deformations." Below is an example of the musical grids I've created that allows viewers to experience all of a film musical's numbers simultaneously, which serves to efficiently demonstrate the range and quantity of musical sequences within a particular film.
You can view additional examples of my videographic work on my Vimeo page. Please note that all my videographic work is for study purposes only.
Photography
Teaching my students how to improve their photography skills has encouraged me to do the same. I love catching people in their own movement idiosyncrasies, dancers especially. Recently, the graphic qualities of environments are also catching my eye:
Filmmaking
In 2013, I co-directed and edited an instructional video, "So You Want to Study Movies?," about the Communication Arts department at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in collaboration with Maureen Rogers and Nora Stone. Our video was selected to play in the 2013 Fall Semester Communication Arts Showcase.
In 2010, I made a one-minute light journal on 16 mm film using a Bolex camera and analog editing. This digitized Telecine version does not include color details from the tissue paper I attached to the hand-punched cutouts seen throughout the film.
In 2015, I made a complilation film, "Dancing to the Movies," for a dance-based event. It took the audience on a journey of dance in cinema, from the 1930s to present day. The numbers from each decade were (overall) chosen for their simplicity, encouraging the audience to dance along. This film was intended for a private event rather than widespread distribution. By transforming the purpose of the original numbers, my use of this material falls under Fair Use guidelines, but I have chosen not to distribute it online; please contact me to see the full version. Here are some hints at the numbers included:
Choreography
In 2007, I choreographed La Kinesphère for members of Carleton College's Sempahore Repertory Dance Company. I wanted to explore a broad use of space, lighting techniques to define borders of movement, and a play between unison and individual phrases. The music is "Beautiful Life" by Gui Boratto.